College Station Parks & Recreation Department, a Nationally Accredited agency, strives to provide facilities and programs that enrich the lives of people of all ages with diverse, ethnicity, ability, belief, social and economic background and education.
Since its inception in 1971 as a City of College Station Department, it has expanded to 52 parks at a total of 1,327.91 acres, providing athletic fields and facilities, playgrounds, ponds, pools, conference center, recreation center, teen center, nature trails, an outdoor amphitheater and rental facilities. It offers over 200 programs with an operating budget of over $6,000,000. Number of staff has increased from 3 to 75 benefited positions, 200 seasonal / temporary employees, and approximately 100 Kids Klub staff.
The Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to education and safety of all children; it operates Kids Klub, a very successful after school program in cooperation with CSISD. Other great after school programs are held at Lincoln Recreation Center through the Boys & Girls Club and the Southwood Community Center.
The Parks Department offers series of free quality family concerts at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater, a 7,000 capacity outdoor amphitheater.
Emergency Management Operation is also a major responsibility of the Parks Department, using facilities and staff during disasters such as the hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and hurricane Ike in 2008.
The Parks and Recreation Department has been the recipient of numerous local and National awards such as:
Tree City USA
For 20 years
TAAF Silver City of College Station
2005
The Daniel Whitworth Fellow Award Presented to Steve Beachy, Director
2005
TRAPS Promotional Award
2006
Junior Achievement of Brazos Valley Award
Presented to Ric Ploeger, Assistant Director
2006
Platinum Award for the National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training
2006
Gold Award for the National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training
2006
International Excellence Community Award
Presented to Steve Beachy, Director
Nationally accredited by the commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies and the National Recreation and Park Association
2007
Amateur Softball Association James Farrell Award of Excellence
Presented to the Athletic Division for achieving a rating of 90 or above from the participants and the player representatives for the ASA U18 Girls Fast Pitch National Softball Tournament. Our tournament score achieved a perfect "100" rating!
2008
Aquatic Agency of the Year Award
The City of College Station has been awarded the 2009 Texas Public Pool
Council (TPPC) Agency of the Year Class 2 Award. The Texas Public Pool
Council has a long history of recognizing excellence in the aquatics industry.
“College Station Parks and Recreation has set the standard by which
others look to in teaching swimming lessons, providing excellent aquatic facilities
and creative programming,” said Charles Logan, Past President and
Chair of the Awards Committee for TPPC
2009
Innovations in Park Development Award
City of College Station Parks and Recreation Department was the recipient of the “Innovations in Park Development Award” presented by Texas Recreation and Park Society for development of “University Park and Canine Station’s off-leash Dog Park.”
2010
TAAF Gold Member City Award
2010